Main menu

Post navigation

Love it or loathe it: ‘Hottest Barmaid Contest’ got a big turnout

Whether you love it or loathe it, Monday’s "Hottest Barmaid Contest" at the Horseshoe Bar had three winners and a packed bar of "very enthusiastic men," said bar owner Jerry Fredrickson.

The audience and four judges cast ballots for their favorite barmaid based on looks, poise, personality, confidence and overall beauty, Fredrickson said.

A blog post on the event stirred up quite a few comments, the most in this blog’s history. Those supporting the event said, in essence, women (and men in attendence) had a choice to take part. Those critizing the event said, in essence, it was demeaning to women.

Depending on where you come down, the turnout could be called marketing savvy or a poor reflection on society.

"About 125 men and women crammed into the Horseshoe Bar to cheer on their favorites on a night when most bar patrons were home resting on the night after the Super Bowl," Fredrickson said. "Snowy weather and some negative publicity did little to deter the enthusiasm of the crowd and the sponsors were very pleased with the results of the event."

Was he referring to the Biz Blog as "negative publicity?" In defense of my colleague Candace, she was just doing her job, asking questions. She was also writing a blog post, which is a more casual and personal channel to relay news. She got a conversation going, which was one of her main intentions.

The winners, in pink from left to right, were Becca Martin, McKennzie Rae and Lisa Raml. Judges in back row were Gary Kelleher, Russ Sutherland Rhonda Grussendorf and Neil Atkins.

[If you feel compelled to comment, please keep it civil. Previous posters didn’t and their views were removed from the site.]

@ Andy, I think your interpretation of some people’s opinions is a little simplistic, in that I think the event is degrading to everyone involved, but it’s a free country. If people want to act like idiots and degrade each other with this silly beautiful barmaid contest, go ahead. I am sure the audience was full of middle-aged guys with beer guts and those lonesome losers from the DCB, who all went because that’s the closest they’ll ever get to drool over a beautiful woman half their age.

I blame the women participating as much as I would blame a prostitute for having to sell her body to survive. These women all get something they need out of it, be it money, booze, whatever. I don’t blame them for participating. I just think it’s sad, and on some level, they realize it’s humiliating to be put on display like that, in front of the dregs of Duluth. It’s not like the men there are anywhere in the same league as these young women in terms of physical appearance, as we can see from the photo.

Since both the contestants and the patrons were consenting adults, I don’t understand why this is even newsworthy. It’s not a proud day for the city but to the best of my knowledge, no laws were broken. If you don’t like it, don’t go. I didn’t.

LMAO at Hermione’s comments. Shame on those women for being judged in contest as she then she makes judgmental condemnation of the men there and calls all the men there dregs and judge’s them on the photo.

You ever notice the only people that complain about a beauty contest are the ones that couldn’t win anyway! Any how can it be demeaning when the contestents CHOOSE to be in it? This is the USA, land of the FREE! FREE to choose what we WANT to do within the parameters of the law.

WTG Horseshoe!!! I’m glad some people still remember how to have fun and don’t spend all their time worrying about being politically correct. Of course, I’m an old lady. I can remember back to the days when people could just have a good time, doing whatever they wanted to, without having to worry about people that might choose to be offended by it. Back then, I think it was called ‘minding your own business’.

I agree, It’s always funny how the biggest complainers about this kind of stuff are the ones that could never win the contest….sounds like jealousy to me. Sure, any kind of a beauty contest is shallow thinking….but what’s wrong with just having fun a times without having to be politically correct all the time. I’m tired of being forced to “think” politcially correct all the time. As much as I’m with the women when it comes to wanting equal opportunity, equal rights and equal pay for equal work and all that jazz….there is nothing wrong with having a little fun at times. Lighten up libbers, you’ll live longer and smile more.

I just want to say to all the folks out there that think this was some kind of degradation of women, that these lovely young women were all very nice, wholesome ladies who did not come close to being less than ‘ladies’ in their appearance or behavior. The swimsuits were modest and their virtues remain intact. The Miss America contest is far more ‘degrading to women’ than this event was. The men and women in the audience were almost all in their 20’s and very well behaved as they came to cheer on their favorite bartender/bar maid. Funny isn’t it that so many complainers who were not even there seem to know exactly what the event was about. To all of you ugly broads who only WISH you looked good enough to enter a beauty contest, you will have much more to whine about when I turn this into a national contest for the most Beautiful Bar Maid in America and watch on Fox TV. Ha!

I’m thoroughly surprised the pageant had this much of an uproar. I thought it was for us girls to get up, be brave, have fun, meet each other, YES have a few drinks! and mostly to HAVE FUN! It was a total blast! It was also my first public event like this. 😀 I enjoyed talking with the other wonderful ladies that participated, I reconnected with a high school friend (Mckennzie), and won two tix to Las Vegas!

I didn’t feel this contest was demeaning at all, if anyone wanted to go, they were welcome to. If any barmaid wanted to be part of it, they could. It was open to the public, not a dirty, hidden event like so many people have made this sound.

I can’t change anyone’s opinion, and I’m not here to do so. I’m just here to say I had fun! I love my job, I love my coworkers, boss (Jerry Fredrickson of Horseshoe Billiards), patrons, and mostly, I love being able to be myself in front of people, despite what they think. I truly hope the complainers will be thinking about that while I’m in Las Vegas during Spring Break! This will be my first time there, I’m excited to go! 😀 I’ll take pix and put them up on my Facebook if anyone wants to see!

Happy in 2nd, Becca Martin.

P.S. ~ Sunday and Monday is FREE pool ALL day at Horseshoe Billiards! Hope to see you there! 😉

Of course, I am a middle-aged guy with a hairy back, flat but flabby ass and a big beer belly hanging over my polyester pants that I wear low so you can practically see my butt crack. I couldn’t get a date with you, Becca, if I were the last man on earth.

Becca, I like you because you don’t threaten my fragile sense of my manhood – unlike those smart women libbers. I hate those Feminazis! But I get my revenge on them by trolling around the Internet after them.

Wasn’t Big Iron the busybody who was complaining on this blog previously about the Horsehoe Billiards’s son being a jailbird — even though it was completely irrelevant to the discussion about the barmaid beauty contest? Big Iron is a nasty little troll who has absolutely nothing worthwhile to say, so he gossips about and insults his betters. Wish he’d stick his big iron up his big ass and shut his big mouth.

Mr. Fredrickson, how about a hottest contest for middle aged, short, overweight women? Better yet, you can have categories for us unshaven types, worst dyed hair, narlyest hair, best mustache AND biggest butt! I know I would win!! I just know I would!!! Please??? Thank you for your consideration.